Coffee Chat
by Hayate Izumi
Summary: A collection of drabbles concerning Roy, Riza, and the world they were cast together in.
1. Café

A/N: Well… It has been a long time. As I was going through my bookshelf, I found an old copy (regrettably, the only copy) of Full Metal Alchemist, and out of sentiment began thumbing through it. I realized how much that series, and the people I'm reminded of when I think about it, influenced my everything and so to make a long story short, thumbing through that volume turned into watching all of Brotherhood for the first time, reading more or less every Royai fanfiction I could get my hands on without cringing, and thus being inspired to write more of my own. I like to think I've improved a little bit since I was thirteen, and will attempt to rewrite the horror that is 'coffee chat'. Why did I even name it this? There's only one chapter that deals with coffee. UGH.

Outside the garden window the winds howled and the rain poured, leaving the colonial in a less than chatty mood. It was well past the normal hours of a day in the office for someone of his rank – any other bachelor in his position would have left already, probably at one of the bars they frequented, searching for something (someone?) to take the edge off. Alas, Roy Mustang was on a mission. Not even the rain could ruin this.

Clearing his throat and pulling his eyes from the clouds he spoke up.

"You know, Lieutenant, it's looking pretty bad out there." The woman sitting opposite him made a noncommittal noise, pen scratching softly on paper. "Perfect weather for a cup of coffee." At that she looked up, the scratching stopped.

"Yes, sir. Should I go make a pot?" Roy grimaced, evidently not relishing in the thought.

"That sludge is hardly fit to be called coffee. I'm sure it's responsible for some of the higher ranks going crazy…" Riza's eyes danced, but she said nothing. "Actually, they just put in a new Café across from the florist. I wouldn't mind checking it out…?" Roy noticed a frown tugging on Riza's lips. "Purely for military purposes, of course."

"Military purposes, you say?" A blonde eyebrow rose up at him. Roy smirked.

"It could be an undercover operation of some sort. Drachma has been fairly active recently, they could be making plans."

"Making plans by running a coffee shop," Riza clarified. Roy shrugged.

"Do I have to make it an order?"

Riza stopped writing again, and her shoulders rose and fell with a sigh.

"No, sir. Let me get my coat."

On the way, Roy was mostly quiet, only offering her small observations of what was happening around them. He held an umbrella over them both, but that didn't stop the wind from chilling them both to the bone. She replied with small nods and the occasional smile – Roy began to rethink the entire situation. Maybe years of being together in a military setting really had ruined his chances.

They at last reached the café, sliding into a booth opposite one another. A barista practically threw them both small menus, sneering at Riza's 'thank you'. There was no love for the military it seemed, even in a neutral place like a coffeehouse.

"Thank you, sir." Riza said quietly, after the woman had left. Roy smiled in response, gently chiding her.

"We are off duty, Riza. I'd prefer it if you called me Roy."

Riza almost smiled. "But, sir, I thought we were here to investigate the threat of Drachma?" Inwardly, Roy cursed. He'd forgotten about that. At Roy's pained expression Riza gave a small laugh. "It was a joke, Roy."

Roy could have shouted in joy, and he had trouble containing his mirth. "Why, Riza, you _do _have a sense of humor! I never would have thought!"

"Just don't let it get out to the rest of the office, they would never get anything done for trying to cajole me into saying something amusing," Riza shook her head, accepting her coffee from the waitress. "Thank you."

The pair sipped at their drinks, Riza relishing her cappuccino and handing two sugars to Roy for his coffee.

"So Lieutenant, what's your opinion on this place? Is it Drachman, or are we safe from an attack for the time being?" Riza considered this, a smirk on her delicate lips.

"My professional opinion is that this cappuccino is far too good to be Drachman, and therefore I cannot question its loyalties."

Roy hid a smile from her, raising an eyebrow in reply and leaning forward to press his lips to hers ever so softly.

"Far too good indeed," he replied, and Riza could only smile back.


	2. Chocolate

It was a late night at the office again, Riza Hawkeye and her boss filing some paperwork. It began as a mind numbing task, the pair sitting cross legged on the floor, only focusing on not slicing their fingers open with the case reports before her mind started wandering towards more emotional issues she had barely been able to suppress during the day.

"_Mustang speaking. Caroline? Oh _hello! _It's been so long gorgeous, where have you been? Lior? Now, what's a pretty woman like you doing down there? You might burn your perfect skin!" _

The rest of the conversation had followed as such, Riza gnashing her teeth all the while. It wasn't that she was jealous of the many women calling her boss, she thought angrily, shoving papers into the metal filing cabinets they belonged in. She just… wished. That was it, she _wished_. Wishing was safe, it didn't imply anything but a want. It didn't imply _what _she wanted, or _how_ she wanted, or _why_ she _so desperately wanted her superior to push her onto his desk and begin ravaging_ _her _there, _and then she would moa-_

Riza shook her head angrily, slamming shut the door to the file cabinet. She growled her request to leave for the night and Roy had agreed, bewildered as she slammed the door behind her.

The doorbell woke Riza from a much needed sleep. She sat up, and went to answer the door, petting a barking Hayate and murmuring a raspy 'down, boy'. She opened the door and looked around; no one was there. Instead of a person, she found a wrapped box. Taking it inside and opening it revealed a card attached to a smaller, rectangular box. Her eyes skimmed over the card.

_Riza, _

_I was out after work and thought of you when I saw these, I know how much you love chocolate. I hope you enjoy them. _

_Roy_

She then smiled to herself, and knew her wish just might come true.


	3. Autumn

A/N: Christ, I wasn't very subtle back then, was I?

It was a breezy autumn day, Lieutenant Hawkeye the very picture of domesticity as she cleared the leaves off of her yard into piles. Back and forth the rake moved, gently scraping the leaves from the cold, dry earth.

Someone tapped her shoulder and she spun around, drawn out of her thoughts. The sheepish eyes of her superior met hers and her hand snapped to salute out of habit. Roy chuckled.

"It's okay, we're off duty. Call me Roy, please. " Riza struggled with his request but eventually nodded, dropping her hand. " You look tired. Can I help you with that?" He asked softly, revealing his own rake from behind his back. She looked puzzled for a moment; after all, since when did he of all people offer to do actual work? She nodded in response.

They had been raking in silence for about 10 minutes when mischief took over his onyx eyes. He picked up his rake, loading a pile of leaves in it and catapulted the small pile at Riza's head. It hit its mark, and she slowly turned around to find Roy grinning like the devil himself.

"Oops, the rake must've slipped." He offered, his grin becoming wider if at all possible. She glared back at him, and shrugged his actions off, resuming raking. Roy's grin disappeared and he frowned instead, turning around to sulk.

A moment later, a bunch of dirt ridden leaves smacked Roy in the back. He spun around, grin back. Riza was quietly raking, lost in thought again. She looked up questioningly.

"I appreciate the help but if you're just going to stand there and look at me…" Roy's eyebrows knitted themselves together.

"Right. Sorry." He took up his rake again, muttering to himself about suspicious subordinates.

A minute later, Roy was hit again with a bouquet of oak leaves. He turned around once more, only to see Riza raking leaves into a black garbage bag. She didn't even seem to notice his dilemma.

Roy snarled; he was not one to be taken for a fool. He positioned his rake like a sword, looking around for his challenger. He slowly turned around, only to be hit in the back _again. _He nearly pulled his gloves out when he spun around this time, but was pacified.

Riza was holding her hand over her mouth, barely suppressing giggles. The anger quickly drained out of him as he looked at her in awe; his expression only feeding her laughter. He chuckled with her, slowly warming up to full out laughter.

"You sly little thing, you think you can outwit the Flame Alchemist?" Riza shook her head and laughed all the harder. "You better run!" Roy threw down his rake and charged towards her, Riza only barely managing to move out of the way at the last second. He ran at her again, catching her around the waist as they flew into the ground, rolling over into the piles of leaves they had accumulated.

Their laughter soon died out, and they were left grinning at each other like two rambunctious teenagers. Riza was the first to realize their position.

"Sir, I really don't think this is appropriate.." Roy frowned.

"What did I tell you about calling me 'sir' off duty?" Riza swallowed.

"Roy, I really don't think…" The man in question sighed and rolled off of her onto his back, staring at the wispy clouds.

"I missed this. Things were easier back then."

Riza didn't need to ask to know what he was talking about, she nodded in agreement.

"Easier... we've come a long way, haven't we? We had no idea back then," she mused.

"No idea…" her companion echoed.

They sat up a while later, Riza hugging her knees and Roy reclining on his arms, speaking of the past they had lost. Of the oak tree in the front yard they used to play in and all the times Riza had to help Roy clean up the mess he made with his alchemy under her father's tutelage. The dusk rapidly approached and they stood to say their goodbyes.

"I had a good time," Roy said with a smile, taking his rake from her. Riza smiled back.

"As did I, Roy." Roy nodded and turned to walk home. A few steps later he stopped and turned around.

"Riza!" He shouted. The woman turned around expectantly, almost near her front door. "My yard is pretty bad too, next week do you think you would mind helping me with it?" Riza smiled back at him.

"It would be my pleasure," and with that she stepped inside, door clicking softly.

Roy grinned hugely and hummed to himself the rest of the way home.


	4. Winter

**A/N: apparently I didn't know how to spell 'pissed'? yikes. **

**xxxxx**

Winter had arrived in Central again, leaving in its wake a plethora of problems; power outages, slippery sidewalks, freezing temperatures and the flu with most of the population were what usually plagued the city. Presently, Roy Mustang was gazing out the window at a surprise snowstorm, the sky had been clear all day until two thirty rolled around and the temperature had rivaled Fort Briggs itself.

"Something the matter, sir?" A quiet voice came from behind him. The phone rang abruptly, and he picked it up, speaking quickly.

"Colonial Mustang speaking. What? WHAT? Fine," he snarled into the receiver and slammed it back down.

The voice spoke with more urgency this time. "Colonial?"

"It would seem we're stuck here, Lieutenant."

"Sir?"

"The storm has gotten too strong. We're stuck here for the night." He finally met the eyes of his subordinate.

Riza stood before him, clutching a clipboard to her chest. Her face was awash in horror.

"I…see. Permission to speak freely, sir?" He nodded. "We're so screwed," she almost moaned. Roy let out a miserable sob and they both sat down at their desks, brooding at the night that was nearly upon them.

**xxxxx**

Meanwhile, a few rooms down from Mustang's office, Second Lieutenants Havoc and Breda were giggling like schoolgirls.

"He so believed us!" Havoc snorted, cigarette nearly falling out of his mouth. Breda's shoulders shook with mirth.

"We're so dead if they find out," Breda warned, but that only threw the pair into more muffled laughter. When they regained their composure, Havoc picked up his binoculars and looked out the window, trying to see what was going on back in the office.

"Damn it, nothing yet!" Breda sighed.

"When will they realize…"

"They're so perfect for each other," the pair sighed in union.

**xxxxx**

The next day, after Lieutenant Hawkeye realized no one else had been locked up that night, the sound of gunshots and screaming could be distinctly heard from a certain Colonial's office, and some officers swore they saw flames in the windows. Second Lieutenants Havoc and Breda mysteriously disappeared from duty for a week, citing personal reasons.


	5. Spring

It was the first day of spring, and Riza Hawkeye strolled into the office. She gently pushed the double doors open, only to find her superior sleeping at his desk, a pen still in his hand. Going over to his desk, she gently removed the pencil from his hand, laying it on his desk beside him. He stirred, and opened one eye.

"Hawkeye..?" He murmured, fixing her with a sleepy stare. "What time is it?" He pushed himself off his desk, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"Zero six hundred hours, sir," She replied.

"Hmmm.." He reached out from under his desk and pulled out a bouquet of flowers, handing them to the surprised Hawkeye. "It's spring, something to lighten up your desk?" He smiled gently, his eyes still ridden with sleep.

"Th- Thank you," she managed to stutter out, and took the flowers. As she walked back to her desk in the adjoining room she inhaled, relishing the scent of the wildflowers. There was a notecard attached to it.

_For my most hardworking Lieutenant, _

_Happy Spring. _

She was reduced to a stupid grin, not even noticing when the Colonial walked past her, jacket slung over his arm. He glanced at her when he walked by and smiled to himself.

"Hawkeye?" Riza looked up, surprised.

"Yes sir?"

"You should smile more often. Much lovelier than any flowers."

Her grin faded to a gentle smile that Roy seemed to be getting a lot lately.

"Yes, sir."


	6. Alchemy

He had always put alchemy before her.

In the long days when he studied under her father, and she was but another shadow in the dark house, he ignored her to study alchemy. In Ishval , cloaked by heavy sands and even heavier regrets, he would turn away from her. She told herself it was because he was trying to survive, trying first to learn as much alchemy as he possibly could to save the ones he loved and then to use it to protect himself so one day he could make it to the top.

She knew that she was just lying to herself.

She knew that he simply cared more about his power than he cared about her.


End file.
